Rotary fluid-power device.



R. GRAY.

ROTARY FLUID POWER DEVICE.

APPLICATION TILED 1,111.24, 1910. unnwnn MAR. 15, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Get. 22, 1912.

R. GRAF.

ROTARY FLUID POWER DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED $1111.24, 1910. RENEWED MAR. 15, 1912.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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v52 torney.

R. GRAF.

ROTARY FLUID POWER DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1910. RENEWED MAR. 15, 1912.

1 9 49 g 1 5 a Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

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Application filed January 24, 19l0, -Se1 ial No.

To all whom it concern I Be it known that l, RICHARD GRAF, a citizen of the United States, residing in -the borough of Brooklyn,

city of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain provements in Rotary Fluid-Power Dev1 ces, of which the following is a speclfication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

Myinvention relates generally to fluid circulating, compressing and motor apparatus of the rotary type, although the means embodying my invention and hereinafter describedhave been particularly designed for: for refrigerating use as a fluid compressor purposes. I

My inventlon has for its general objects one. of the objects of duction to a minimum of the leakage of compressed or pumped or motive fluid.

' Another object of my invention s high speed of operation.

Another objectof my invention is the balancing of the pressures on the moving parts and an adjustment of opposing pressures. Other objects and advantages of my inii vention will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe my inventlon with reference to the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical central'longitudinal section of a complete device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken on the line-2 2, Fig. 1,'1ooking toward the right. Fig. 3 IS a new" and useful Imto do away with theneeesspeafiatam Eettrs'ratent. patented ocean-rare.

589,678. 'anefwea march 15, i912. .Serial 1%. 684,008.

view similar toFig. of a modified embodi ment of myinvention. Fig. 4 is a development of the compression chamber of the constructlonshown'in Figs. 1 and 2, on a sectlon 'cut on" a circle concentric with the axis of the shaft and .passin through the inlet and outlet ports, and indicated at 4 in Fig. 2. F g. 5 is avlon gitudinal vertical section, but with rotating inner heads and partitions I partly in elevation, of another modified constructlon.

I have shownmy invention as embo died 1n compressors and shall describe it as thus embodied, although it "will'be understood that it'comprehends service as a pump or 'meter,.or by reversal of operation as a motor', or other evident embodiments.

In theembodiment of my invent-ion illustrated in Figs. '1', 2 and 4 of the drawings, 1 employ a cylindrical casing comprising a cylindrical 'wall 7, a front/circular head 5 having'the compression chamber therein and 3 a rear clrcular plate 6, the parts fitted togetherin a fluid-tight manner and held'together by clamping bolts 8,.extendingexteriorly of the casing through holes provided in the end plates.

annular cam-face 9 is formed on the inner face of the front plate 5 and forms one end wall of the compression chamber, the

configuration of this cam being particularly shown in the development, Fig. 4. A fluid inlet 10 enters the chamber at a part of the cam near the outer end of the casing, and an outlet 11 leaves the chamber in immediate proximity to the part of the cam farthest from the outer end of the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:. A driving shaft 12 extends longitudinally through the casing .00-

axially therewith and with the end cam 9,

and extends exteriorly of the casing through a tight joint in the rear plate 6 for the application of power from any suitable source.

Coacting with the-cam-faoe 9 are a plurality of axially movable partitions 13, shown as four in number, which serve as radial-partitions for'the compression chamber and are carried by a rotary inner 'head 14, which forms the inner end wall of the compression chamber, is cylindrical in shape, and is preferably of slightly smaller outer I diameter than the inner wall of the casing,

of the cam-face, which are flush with the raised or extreme inner part of the cam-' face and constitute annular sealing surfaces or bearing faces which contact with the opposed annular sealing surfaces or bearing faces on the inner head 14, forming concentric continuations with the plane face thereof opposite to the cam-face 9, so as to make a fluid-tight joint at this place, but to hold it tight with a yielding pressure, such as will,

accommodate exansion due to heating of the parts and wi 1 yield to prevent explosion or other breakage. Axial and radial partition-receiving slots 16, somewhat deeper than the lengths of the partitions 13, are

formed in the front face of the head 14 for the reception of the partitions 13, and guiderods 18 are secured in the inner rotating head and extend into bores in the partitions and serve to guide and hold in position helical thrust springs 17 surrounding the guiderods 18, and which bear axially in the slots 16 behind the partitions 13 and hold the partitions out to their work against the cam 9.

Fluid enters through the inlet 10 into the chamber formed between the two adjacent partitions 13 immediately in front and rear of the inlet port, and'between the cam 9 and the rotary inner head 14, and as the inner head 14 is rotated by the drivin shaft 12, the partitions are carried'aroun until the rear partition is in front .of the inlet port and the fluid is trapped into this space,

which is now of maximum dimensions and capacity. As the rotation continues, the partitions are moved back into their slots in the inner head 14.- by the cam 9, and the chamber or space in which the fluid is trapped grows continually smaller due to the rise of the cam, and the fluid, having no escape, is compressed in the diminishing space. After the front partition passes the outlet port, the compressed fluid begins to escape through the outlet 11, and since the inner head 14 rotates in contact with the cam at and beyond the edge of this outlet, all of the compressed fluid is forced out at the outlet, a check valve 20 being provided flush with the face of the cam to prevent the return of any compressed fluid, rotational shifting of the check valve being prevented in any convenient manner, for exam-ple, by a squared valve stem, as indicated in the drawings. Bythus causing actual contact of the opposed walls of the compression chamber, I eliminate all clear- I vacuum space which has .again resumed its original size, and the same operation is repeated.

It is to be noted that the inlet port 10, by reason of its location at the depressed portion of cam-face 9, is in communication with the chamber or space formed between two adjacent partitions 13 until such growing chamber or space has reached its maximum capacity, the partitions 13 being so spaced that at all times one or another of' the partitions is located between the inlet and the raised portion of the cam-face 9.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the outlet port is more than 180 degrees beyond the inlet port so that at high compression there are three partitions between the outlet and the inlet in a backward direction while in advance of the outlet tightness is assured by the actual contact of the cam-face and inner rotating head, thereby reducing to a minimum any leakage to the inlet port. To insure tight joints between the partitions and the inner and outer cylindrical walls of the chamber, to compensate for wear and to permit expansion by heat without binding, the partitions are spreadable radially by being divided longitudinally into two or more parts, which are joined by a tongue and groove connection, as shown, and thrust springs 21, seated in bores provided at this connection as shown in Fig. 1, tend to spread the parts and make their lateral contact with the walls fluid tight.

'port again, more fluid is forced into this As a safety device for preventing the com pression from becoming too high orhigher' than desired, and to permit expansion from heating of parts without binding, I have provided the spring 15 yieldingly holding the rotary inner head 14 to its work, as above stated. I also provide means for applying balancing or counter pressure behind the inner head 14 to relieve the pressure upon the spring 15, and means for adjusting this counter pressure to any desire-:1 limit, so that under any pressure from the compression chamber greater than the balancing or. counter pressure, the head will give way and the compressor become temporarily inoperative. A conduit 22 leads from the high pressure-side of the apparatus, preferably from an oil separator 32, as shown in Fig.

I in turn bears against a sliding thrust collar 19, splined to the driving shaft 12 and bearing directly against the spring 15. When the counter'pressure, consisting of the sum of the pressure of the compressed fluid admitted through the conduit 22'and of the spring 15, is as great as desired, the admission of further compressed fluid through the conduit 22 may be stopped by closing a cock 25 in the conduit 22, and the counter pressure remains constant. As soon as the chamber pressure exceeds this counter pressure,

the spring 15 yields and the head 14is forced back on the shaft 12 and spins idly around,

the compressed fluid then passing over the raised or extreme inner part of the cam-face 9 from the delivery to the inlet side of the apparatus, a short circuit or by-pass thus being provided from the compression chamber to the vacuum chamber. When the chamber pressure again falls below the counter pressure, the disk is again forced back to operative position. By these means, antomatic regulation is effected and an absolute and automatic safeguard is afforded against damage resulting from careless or ignorant operation of the compressor.

In some instances I may omit the counterpressure conduit 22, supplying compressed fluid behind the head 14, and rely entirely upon the spring 15, which will then be of the required stiffness and adjusted to maintain the desired delivery pressure at the outlet 11.

In the operation of the compressor-a considerable quantity of lubricating oil is used to seal the joints and lubricate the parts. Oil is supplied with the fluid to be compressed in the usual manner and is collected in the oil collector 32 (Fig. 5) in the usual manner. A considerable quantity of oil is usually maintained in the casing between the inner rotary head 14 and the rear plate 6, and may be readily supplied through the cminter-pressure supplying pipe 22, which runs from the oil collector to this part of the casing, and may be drained from the casing when desired through a pipe 33, having a cook 34 therein and'running from the casing to the inlet pipe 10.

My compressor may readily be increased in capacity by providing two concentric compression chambers, as shown in Fig.3. In this construction there are two outlet ports 26 and 27, radially alined, and two inlet ports 28 and 29 also radially alined, the relative position of these ports being indicated in dotted lines. The inner chamber has four inner partitions 30, and the outer tension of the chamber has five partitions 31. The inner cam-face is as shown in the drawings heretofore described. The outer cam-face would and outer diameter of the outer partitions 31. The outer partitions 31 are so arranged relatively to the inner partitions as to act successively, and consequently the compression occurs at shorter intervals than in'the' single chamber system. The connections of the two chambers are not shown. Obviously they could be connected as desired.

My compressor may readily be duplicated with the parts in reversed position, as shown in Fig. 5. Here the casing has been lengthened, the rear plate has been replaced by a rear head 36 having a cam-face 37 therein, in all respects a reversal of the outer head heretofore described. A second inner head 38 is splined to the driving shaft 39, and a common thrust spring 40 yieldingly presses each inner head outward to seal the compression chambers. The partitions 41 of the second chamber may be similarly, but oppositely, arranged to those of the first chamber and the inlets 42 and 43 joined and the outlets 44 and 45 joined. The outlets are shown as leading to an oil separator 32, above referred to, from which the counterpressure and oil feeding pipe 46 leads to the casing, while an oil drawing pipe 4? leads from the casing to the inlet.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the constructions shown and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary power device comprising two heads, one of which is rotary relatively to the-other each having concentric opposed annular sealing surfaces, one of these heads having an annular cam-face concentric with and between the annular sealing surfaces and the other head having an annular face between the sealing surfaces and opposite to the cam-face and forming a chamber therewith, an inlet and an outlet for the cham ber, a movable partition cooperative with the cam-face and carried by the head having the annular face opposite to the cam face, and means for pressing together the opposed sealing surfaces of the two heads.

2. A rotary fluid power device having an annular chamber, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, longitudinally movable partitions in the chamber, one of the end walls of the chamber being shaped to approach to and recede from the other end wall thereof and arranged as a cam to actuate the partitions, means for causing relative rotary movement between the camshaped end wall and the partitions, the end 5 ing. a casing-with an end wall" the inner face of, which is a cam, a'. partiwithinthe casing,

having fa'Ice oppositelfthe earn-face and forming V with the casing I fltfld" chamber,

' yielding means vfor.fhtflding'- theinner part;-

in" operative position, an "inlet and an out-.- let' for the chamb'er', z 'rneans "for' causing relative rotary m ovement between'the cas .ing and inner part, apluralityof axially reciprocative partitions carried by the. inner partand cotiperative with the camsface, the

I partitions] being actuated in one direction by the caInQface, and're'silient'mea'ns adapted'to. actuate-the partitions the other direction and also adapted to continuously hold- I them in yielding engagement with the cam-face. v I I rotary power device comprising two heads, one of which is'rotary relatively to the other each having'concentric opposed annular sealing. surfaces, one of these heads having an'ann ula'r cam-face concentric with andbetween' the annular sealing surfaces and the other head having an annular face between the, sealing" surfaces and opposite to the cam-face and forming a chamber therewith, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, amovablepartition coiiperative with the'jcam-face. and carried by the head having the annular face opposite to the camgeth'er the heads tothereby cause yielding engagement of the opposed sealing surfaces.

A rotary fluid power device comprising a casing, with an end wall the inner face of- 40 which is-a cam, a part within the casing having a face opposite the cam-face and forming with the casing a fluid chamber, yielding means -for holding the inner part in operative position, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, means for causing relative rotary movement between the casing and in-.

ner part, and ,a plurality of axially recip- I rocative partitions carried by the inner part -,and co6perative with the cam-face. .t

a casing -with anTend 'wall, the inner face of which is -a'cam, a 'partwithin the casin having face 'oppositethe cam-face an 5 formin'g'withthe casing a fluid chamber of 5 and carryingthe inner part, the innempart being com ccted,to] the shaft so as to r0- late therewith but to move axially thereon,

yielding means for holding theinner part in face, and resilient means for pressing to-- 6; Alrotary fluid power device comprising.-

annul'aifl form, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, a shaft cof-axial with; the cam-face which is ai cam a part within thefcasing having a face opposite: the cam-face :and

. forming" with the casing a .fluid cha-mber' I of annular form, an inlet and an outlet for .the. chamber, ash'aft (id-axial With the cam-". 5,

face and carryingflthe inner part, the-inner "part being connected to -thei shaft solas it'o rotate therewlth but to move axially thereon, I

yielding-means for holding' the, inner "part1 i operatiye, position, a plurality of'a'xially reciprocative partitions carried by the. in+ II er part andiabutting against the cam-face,- and means to hold the partitions against the cam-face as the shaft and inner part are 1'0? tatedf J A rotary fluid power devicev comprising an outer" part with'an' end wall the-inner face of which is agradually rising and gradually falling cam, an inner parthaving- I a face-opposite the cam-face'and forming with the outer part a fluid chamber, a'n w inlet for the chamber communicating therewith at the depressedport'ion of thelcamface and an outlet for the chamber communicating therewith at the raisedportion 9O of the cam-face, the highestportion of the cam-face forming aseal bet-ween the outlet and the inlet" at a point in advance of the inlet and beyond the outlet, means for causing relative rotary movement between the outer 'part and the inner part, and a plurality of axially reciprocative partitions carried by the inner part and coeperative with the cam-face and'so spaced that at all times one or another of the partitions is located between the seal and the'inlet in advance of the inlet and beyond the outlet.

9. A rotaryfluid power device comprising a casing with an end wall, the inner face of which is a cam, a part within the. casing having a face opposite the cam-face and forming with the casing a fluid chamber of annular form, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, a shaft co-axial 'ivith the camface and carrying-the inner part, the. inner part being connected to the shaft soas to rotate therewith but to move axially, therea on, yielding means for holdingthe inner 4 part in operative position, means for adjusting the-yielding means-to :vary the force 3115 with which the inner part is heldin op lerative position, and a plurality ofaxially reciproc'ative' partitions carried byth'e iner part and 006 'erative with the can' -face,

10. A'rotary uid power device compris- I ing a casing with an end wall the inner face of .which is a-c'am, at art within the casinghaving a'face opposite the cam face and: forming withthe casing a fluid chamber, yielding means for holding the inner part in operativep'osition, an inlet and an out let for the chamber, means for causing rela* tive rotary movement between. the casing and inner part, a plurality of axially re ciprocative partitions carried by the inner 1 chamber, a shaft co-axial w th the cam-face.

part and cooperative with the cam-face and divided longitudinally into a plurality of parts, and means' for radially spreading the I and cooperative with the cam-face.

partition parts. 11.A rotary fluid. power device comprising a casing with anend wall, the inner face of which is a cam, a part withinthe casing having a face opposite the cam-face and forming with the. casing a fluid chamber of annular form, an inletand an outlet for the and carrying the inner part, the inner part being-connected to the shaft so as to rotate therewith but to move axially thereon, yielding means for holding the innerpart in operative osition, a plurallty of axially reciprocative partitions carried by the mner part and abutting againstthe cam-face and divided longitudinally into a lurality of parts, and resilient means spreading the parts.

- 121A rotary fluid power device comprising a casing with an end wall, the inner face of which is a cam, apart within th'e casinghaving a face opposite the cam-face and forming with the casing a fluid chamber of annular form, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, a shaft co-axial with the cam-face and carrying the inner part, the inner party being connected to the shaft so, as to rotate therewith but to move axially thereon, a plurality of axially reciprocative partitions carried by the inner part and cooperative with the cam-face, resilient means for holding the inner part in operative position, and means for applying compressed fluid to create pressure .agalnst the inner rotating head in opposition to the pressure of the fluid being compressed. 40 13. A rotary fluid power device comprising a casing with an end wall the inner face of which is a cam, a part within the casing having a face opposite the cam-face and forming with the casing a fluid chamber of annular form and also forming within the casing a space behind such inner part, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, a shaft co-axial with the cam-face and carrying the inner part, the inner part being connected to the shaft so as to rotate therewith but to move axially thereon, axially reciprocative partitions carried by the inner part and cooperative with the cam-face, resilient means forholding the inner part in operative position, and a conduit leading from the outlet to the space behind the inner art for supplying fluid under pressure behind such inner part.

14. A rotaryfluid power device compris ing a part having an annular cam-face, a part having a plane face opposite the camface, a chamber being formed between the two faces, yielding means for holding such parts in operative position, an-inlet and an 5 outlet for the chamber, means for causing stituting the other end wall of the chamber,

or rad1ally such relative rotary movement between the two parts, and an axially reciprocative partition carried'by the part havmg the plane face 15. A rotary fluidpower device comprisng two relatively rotary heads arranged in uxtapos1tion, one of these heads having.

thereln a groove with inner and outer peripheral walls of circular contour and formingva chamber between the heads, the bottom of the groove constituting an end wall of'the chamber and forming a cam-face, such head also having two annular sealing surfaces concentric with the cam-face and located respectively inward and outward therefrom, such sealing surfaces being in a plane continuous with the highest portion of the cam-face, the other head having a plane face opposite the cam-face and conlane face having concentric con-- tinuatlons' forming annular sealing faces opposed to the annular sealing faces of' the head having the cam-face, an inlet and an outlet for the chamber, a movable partition carried by the part having the plane face and cooperative with the cam-face, and

means for vyieldingly: pressing together the heads to. thereby press together the opposed sealing surfaces; v-

16. A rotary fluid power device comprising two relatively rotary parts forming a chamber between them, one of such parts being provided with an annular cam-face withm and forming an end of the chamber, a partition carried by the other part and cooperative with the cam-face, yielding means .for holding the two parts in operative poe sition, and means for causing relative rotary movement between the two parts.

17. A rotary fluid power device comprising two heads arranged in juxtaposition, one of these heads. having therein a groove with inner and outer peripheral walls of circular contour integral with the grooved 110 head and forming the side walls of the groove, the-groove forming a chamber between the heads, the'bottom of the groove constituting an end wall of the chamber and forming a'cam-face, and movable partitions 115 carried by the other head and cooperative with the cam-face, an inlet and an outlet for thechamber, and one of the heads being rotary relatively to the other.

18. A rotary power device comprising two juxtaposed heads, one of which is rotary relatively to the other, each head having two spaced annular concentric end surfaces opposed to and forming a seal with the corresponding end surfaces on the other head, one of-these heads having an annular camface concentric with and between the annular sealing surfaces and the other head having an annular face concentric with and between the annular sealing surfaces and op- 13o posite to the cam-face, a chamber with inner In testimony whereof I have afiixed my and outer cylindrical walls being formed by signature in presence of two witnesses.

the heads between the cam-face and the an-- RICHARD GRAF nular face opposite thereto, and a movable 5 partition cooperative with the cam-face and Witnesses:

carried by the headhaving the annular face WM, AsHLnY KELLY,

opposite to the cam-face. 4 BERNARD CowEN. 

